Merv

Mary Province, Turkmenistan

One of the oldest and largest oasis cities of Central Asia, serving as a Seljuk capital and one of the great cities of the pre-modern Islamic world before its destruction by the Mongols in 1221.

Historical Context

Merv served as the capital of the Great Seljuk Empire under Sultan Sanjar (r. 1118–1157). The city was a crossroads of trade and scholarship, hosting libraries, madrasas, and observatories. Genghis Khan's son Tolui destroyed the city in 1221.